Collapsible combination table and bench

ABSTRACT

A collapsible combination table and bench in which the table portion is supported at three points, one of the points being generally near the center of the bench portion. The bench portion is hollow so as to contain the three table supports and the four bench legs so that the entire assembly may be folded down into a compact package. The table portion is sized and shaped to fit over the bench portion for compact portability and to permit the assembly to be used solely as a bench as well.

'9 5111110 States =atent 1191 1111 3,765,719 Silver Oct. 16, 1973 [54]COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION TABLE AND 1,936,969 11/1933 Osterberg 297/139BENCH 2,457,411 12/1948 Steinberger 297/139 [75] Inventor: Robert H.Silver, Schroeder, Minn. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 73 Assignee:Wanous, Thomas K. Minneapolis 337,749 6/1921 Germany 297/170 Minn. apart interest Primary Examiner-James T. McCall [22] Ffled' 1971Att0rneyMarvin Jacobson et a1. [21] Appl. No.: 206,374

[57] ABSTRACT U.S- A collapsible combination table and bench in [51]lift. C1 the table portion is Supported at three p one of Fleld OfSearch? the points being generally near the center of the bench 297/170108/38 101 portion. The bench portion is hollow so as to contain thethree table supports and the four bench legs so [56] References cuedthat the entire assembly may be folded down into a UNITED STATES PATENTScompact package. The table portion is sized and 692,506 2/1902 Ecker108/153 shaped to fit over the bench portion for compact por- 47,8979/1915 Ruggles 297/170 tability and to permit the assembly to be usedsolely as 1,200,625 10/1916 Landauer... 108/156 a b n h as well,3,641,947 2/1972 Finney 108/38 1,293,685 2/1919 Brook 108/34 8 Claims, 6Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 16, 1973 LS Shee ts-Sheet I INVENTOR.ROBERT H. S/LVER ATTORNEYS Patented Get. 16, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. ROBERT H. SILVER ATTORNEYSJI'T" Patented Oct. 16, 19733,765,719

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INVENTOR. ROBERT H. SILVER ATTORNEYS COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION TABLE ANDBENCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior art collapsible tables andbenches have been characterized by being rather weak, shakey andunstable. This comes about mainly due to the requirement of a largenumber of small delicate moving parts in order to permit the entireassembly to be folded down into a compact unit. Other disadvantagesinclude the need for an excessive number of individual parts in theassembly and an inability of the assembled bench and table combinationsto adapt to-uneven ground surfaces. My invention avoids the abovementioned difficulties as described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, my invention contemplates acombination table and bench assembly wherein the table is provided withthree point suspension so as to conform to uneven ground surfaces. Oneof these points is located to rest near the center of the bench portionso as to permit unobstructed entry to the bench portion while stillminimizing the number of parts necessary to support the table. Anunusually high degree of strength and simplicity is achieved by makingall the parts fit together through the simple insertion of one part intoa hole in another part. Yet each of the individual parts fits compactlyinside the hollow bench portion so that the entire assembly may becarried in a suitcase-shaped package and stored in a minimum of space.It may be seen, therefore, that it is an object of my invention toprovide an improved combination table and bench assembly which iscollapsible into a highly compact and easily transportable package.Further objects and advantages will become apparent upon considerationof the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of thevarious components of my invention and indicates generally how thecollapsible table and bench assembly fits together.

FIG. 2 shows the combination table and bench assembly in its fullyassembled condition.

FIG. 3 is a more detailed view of the hollow bench portion of myinvention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the table portion of my invention in aninverted position to better show the structure thereof. 7

FIG. 5 shows how my invention may be assembled to form only the benchportion.

FIG. 6 shows the final compact package formed when my invention istotally disassembled and packed together inside the hollow benchportion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, it may beseen how the entire combination bench and table assembly fits together.The bench portion 10 is hollow so as to contain the four supporting legs12, a short table support member 18, and two long table support members22. Assembly of the combination bench and table is a quick and easyprocess beginning with the insertion of the legs 12 into holes 37 at thefour corners of the hollow bench portion 10. This operation may bebetter understood with reference to FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, it may be seen that each leg 12 is provided with a shelf orridge 11 which rests against the bottom of bench portion 10. When legs12 are fully inserted into the holes 37 at the four corners of benchportion 10, small pivoting friction locking members 17 and 19 arerotated down into slots 9 in the sides of legs 12. These pivotingfriction locking members 17 and 19 are rotated down into slots 9 in thesides of legs 12 so as to resist any tendency of the legs 12 to dropback out of the holes when the bench is lifted. Bench portion 10includes three locating members, 21, 23 and 25 which serve to accept ashort table support member 18 therebetween at a location near the centerand side of the bench. As can be seen in FIG. 3, table support member 18also has a small shelf or ridge 43 which rests upon a side perimetermember of bench portion 10.

Returning again to FIG. 1, it may be seen that an insert member 14 ispositioned in hollow bench portion 10. Insert member 14 has an outsideshape congruent to the inside shape of hollow bench portion 10 when thelegs 12 and member 18 are inserted therein. Thus, insert 14 locks thefour legs 12 and short table support member 18 into position verysolidly, giving the entire assembly great strength. Small spacer blocks15 and 16 on the bottom of insert member 14 prevent insert member 14from dropping too far into hollow bench 10. Small holes 13 in insertmember 14 provide means with which to grip insert member 14 for removalupon disassembly. Completion of the assembly is achieved by droppingtable portion 30 onto support member 18 and onto two long supportmembers 22. The detailed structure of support members 22 and tableportion 30 may be more clearly seen with respect to FIG. 4 which showsthe table portion 30 and the legs 22 in an in verted position. Theassembled table and bench combination is shown in FIG. 2. It should benoted that in the preferred embodiment, the table portion 30 isadditionally latched to legs 22 by means of small metal latch mechanisms31 and 32, of a type well known to those in the art, which connecttogether on the outside of the parts to provide additional strength.Similar latching mechanisms 35 and 36 are provided for short supportmember 18.

If partially disassembled, the bench and table combination of FIG. 2 maybe used only as a bench. This is accomplished by removing insert member14 and storing the two long table supports 22 and the short tablesupport 18 inside hollow bench portion 10. Insert 14 is thenrepositioned in hollow bench l0, and the table top 30 is fitted overinsert member 14. This arrangement is shown in FIG. 5. It should benoticed that table portion 30 is sized and shaped to fit comfortablyaround bench portion 10.

Complete disassembly is achieved by removing table top 30, and againremoving insert member 14. Friction locks 17 and 19 are raised to allowlegs 12 to be extracted from the bottom of bench 10. The legs 12 arealso stored inside bench l0 and insert 14 is replaced. Table top 30 isagain hooked onto and over insert portion 14 so as to provide a compactcarrying package as shown in FIG. 6. A carrying handle 43 on the side ofbench l0 permits easy transport of this compact package.

I claim:

I. A collapsible combination table and bench comprising a hollowrectangular oblong bench portion adapted to contain four legs, one shorttable support member and two long table support members, said benchhaving four holes near the four corners on one side shaped to accept thefour legs and a single hole on the other side located generally near oneof the long sides of the rectangular oblong bench and generally at thecenter of the long side of the bench shaped to accept the lower end ofthe short table support member and an oblong rectangular table portionhaving two holes shaped to accept the two long table support members anda third hole generally near one long side and near the center of thatlong side of the table portion shaped to accept the upper end of theshort table support.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including friction locking means inside saidhollow bench adapted to hold said four legs in place when they areinserted into the four holes in said bench.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said friction locking meanscomprise four pins adapted to pivot at one end into a resting positionagainst slots in said four legs.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including an insert memher generallycongruent to the inside shape of the hollow bench with the four legsinserted therein, said insert operable to hold the legs tightly in placeand form a top surface for the bench.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including additional external latching meansbetween said table portion and said table support means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said table portion has a raisedridge with a smooth inside surface about its perimeter sized and shapedto fit snugly about said bench so as to permit the bench and tableportions to be fitted together and carried as a unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including an insert member generallycongruent to the inside shape of the hollow bench with the four legs andthe short table support inserted therein, said insert operable to holdthe legs and table support tightly in place and form a top surface forthe bench.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including friction locking pins adapted topivot at one end into a resting position against slots in said legs.

1. A collapsible combination table and bench comprising a hollowrectangular oblong bench portion adapted to contain four legs, one shorttable support member and two long table support members, said benchhaving four holes near the four corners on one side shaped to accept thefour legs and a single hole on the other side located generally near oneof the long sides of the rectangular oblong bench and generally at thecenter of the long side of the bench shaped to accept the lower end ofthe short table support member and an oblong rectangular table portionhaving two holes shaped to accePt the two long table support members anda third hole generally near one long side and near the center of thatlong side of the table portion shaped to accept the upper end of theshort table support.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including frictionlocking means inside said hollow bench adapted to hold said four legs inplace when they are inserted into the four holes in said bench.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 in which said friction locking means comprise fourpins adapted to pivot at one end into a resting position against slotsin said four legs.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 including an insertmember generally congruent to the inside shape of the hollow bench withthe four legs inserted therein, said insert operable to hold the legstightly in place and form a top surface for the bench.
 5. The apparatusof claim 1 including additional external latching means between saidtable portion and said table support means.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1in which said table portion has a raised ridge with a smooth insidesurface about its perimeter sized and shaped to fit snugly about saidbench so as to permit the bench and table portions to be fitted togetherand carried as a unit.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 including an insertmember generally congruent to the inside shape of the hollow bench withthe four legs and the short table support inserted therein, said insertoperable to hold the legs and table support tightly in place and form atop surface for the bench.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 includingfriction locking pins adapted to pivot at one end into a restingposition against slots in said legs.